Cong. Bataoil shares Pangasinan’s “Operation Tulong Yolanda” in Congress

           

            LINGAYEN--- Pangasinan’s second district Representative Leopoldo N. Bataoil took pride of the efforts of his hometown for its “Operation Tulong Yolanda during his privilege speech last January 20 at the Congress’s session hall.

            Bataoil  said “the provincial government of Pangasinan’s humanitarian mission is an act of volunteerism which the country needs today especially in times of crisis.

            It can be recalled that on December 13, the province through the initiative of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., a former Congressman of the second district, has dispatched a team to help the typhoon victims. The province also gave financial aid of  P2 million each to the province of Leyte and Tacloban City.

            As part of his speech, the congressman showed the 10-minute audio-visual presentation (AVP) produced by the Provincial Information Office showing the complete package of support of Pangasinan to the towns of Dulag and Palo in Leyte.

            The humanitarian mission, which took in 10 days, came in various forms such as relief operations, gift-giving activities, medical and dental services as well as health information campaigns, and the repair of nine classrooms in Dulag town.

            The team was composed of 113 government officials and employees including doctors, nurses, engineers, construction workers, social workers and other staff from various departments.

            “My hometown’s humble efforts was not only confined to the rehabilitation efforts in rebuilding the damaged infrastructures as well as the people’s health but rather it is intended to aid affected families and communities to resettle, to become re-established, and to start anew and rise from a great tragedy,” he said. 

            “Beyond the financial assistance we have offered both to Tacloban and Leyte, Pangasinan’s pursuit was to rebuild homes more than houses, families more than individuals,” the congressman added.

            Bataoil emphasized on his speech that spirit of bayanihan should be done “collectively and continuously until the typhoon victims have fully recovered and improved from their recent adversities.”

            However, he said, that every LGU should learned from the tragedy saying that disaster preparedness must be a priority in order to save lives.

            Along this line, Bataoil commended again the efforts of his hometown Pangasinan for coming up with an effective disaster preparedness plan with the help of concerned agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs) and concerned agencies.

            “I laud the continuous effort of LGU Pangasinan for making the disaster preparedness a priority by not only having a well-organized and properly trained rescue teams but has also acquired its own rescue equipment,” he said.

            “Let this aspiration be practiced and emulated by the Filipino people nationwide, bound by the heart and concern for their fellow countrymen and knowledgeable on disaster management so that we will survive when unexpected natural calamity strikes in our midst,” Bataoil said. (MRT/PIO)